Colleen Gaughan: Response
SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!! Key parts of the novel may be revealed below!
After reading Dracula in its entirety I can confidently say that it has made it to the top of my list of books I would recommend. I normally don’t like watching or reading anything scary or horror related but Dracula was so different. It was more of psychological horror than anything and the suspense that Stoker fueled his story with kept me interested. It was so terrifying at times that I could not read it right before bed or I’d be up all night reading. The characters, the symbolism, and the hidden meanings behind the story were just as interesting as the plot line itself.
My favorite character in the entire novel had to be Mina. While some critics have suggested that Stoker was a misogynist, Mina proves otherwise. While she is the model of a Victorian woman, Stoker also leaves room for some progressive behavior. She is the ultimate paradox of the novel and is more complex than even Dracula himself. Although she is a woman and women are characterized as weak and need brave men to protect them throughout the novel, Mina turns out to be the bravest of them all. She is so loyal that she would rather die than be with Dracula against them. I would never have the courage to tell my comrades to kill me, to beg them to kill me, if I turned into a vampire. On top of that she is extremely intelligent; she is a full-time school teacher and she has been studying law alongside Jonathan! Finally, she is the only one who recognizes the need to show Dracula mercy and pity him. She is the only one who is experiencing the effects of vampirism and she is the most forgiving; she puts the rest of the men to shame with her wisdom. She is honestly one of my favorite characters in a novel ever.
I never found myself bored when reading the novel. Whether it was Jonathan being trapped in the castle and not being able to get out or the whole group racing Dracula back to his castle, the story never had a dull moment. My favorite part of the novel, other than the ending which is an obvious winner, was the section from when Lucy began to turn into a vampire and when they finally killed her. That part of the novel had the most suspense because the reader did not already know all about vampires. By the end of the novel there was not really any more mystery whereas at this part it was completely a mystery. It was also the most heartbreaking and emotional part in the novel (except when Quincey died… I actually cried).
Overall, Stoker did something right with Dracula. The format he wrote it in was perfect for the story. Being able to see the story from everyone’s views was difficult at first but it added to my understanding of the different characters and their interactions. It was almost like I was reading a real portfolio of diaries.
To address the end of the novel, (SPOILERS AHEAD) I absolutely loved it. Even though from the beginning I guessed that Dracula would be killed; in the end I had no clue how close it would be. The first time Jonathan took a stab at Dracula I was hooked. I read straight through. The chase to find Dracula and beat him to the castle was incredible. I did however find it sort of hard to keep track of who was with who and where everyone was at a given time. When they started losing Mina because she was far along in her transformation, I couldn't stand it. I felt as though I was riding through the mountains along with them. Renfield and Quincey easily moved their way up my list of favorite characters for their heroism in this section. I never truly understood the point of having Renfield in there other than to give Dr. Seward more purpose, but he truly showed his purpose by helping them. I was also very sad when Quincey died, although he wasn't my favorite character, I liked him and I was foolishly hoping that no one would have to die (other than Dracula of course). I was so relieved that Mina was restored to herself again and was left unblemished. The ending of the novel was perfect!
Although I know that adding Dracula's point of view to the novel would completely change it and make the reader sympathize with the protagonists more, I sort of wish that I could hear his viewpoint. Of course he was a vampire but he was also centuries old, I think his view of the novel or even a journal they found about his past would give a great historical background to the novel. Maybe that could even be an opening? Who knows, either way it is obvious that history is written by the victor and it is no different here.
I very much enjoyed Dracula and would certainly recommend it to anyone who asked. My whole view of vampires and Dracula had been skewed by Hollywood and television but the raw horror story of Dracula peaked my interest. It is a great read and full of amazing themes and literary devices.
My favorite character in the entire novel had to be Mina. While some critics have suggested that Stoker was a misogynist, Mina proves otherwise. While she is the model of a Victorian woman, Stoker also leaves room for some progressive behavior. She is the ultimate paradox of the novel and is more complex than even Dracula himself. Although she is a woman and women are characterized as weak and need brave men to protect them throughout the novel, Mina turns out to be the bravest of them all. She is so loyal that she would rather die than be with Dracula against them. I would never have the courage to tell my comrades to kill me, to beg them to kill me, if I turned into a vampire. On top of that she is extremely intelligent; she is a full-time school teacher and she has been studying law alongside Jonathan! Finally, she is the only one who recognizes the need to show Dracula mercy and pity him. She is the only one who is experiencing the effects of vampirism and she is the most forgiving; she puts the rest of the men to shame with her wisdom. She is honestly one of my favorite characters in a novel ever.
I never found myself bored when reading the novel. Whether it was Jonathan being trapped in the castle and not being able to get out or the whole group racing Dracula back to his castle, the story never had a dull moment. My favorite part of the novel, other than the ending which is an obvious winner, was the section from when Lucy began to turn into a vampire and when they finally killed her. That part of the novel had the most suspense because the reader did not already know all about vampires. By the end of the novel there was not really any more mystery whereas at this part it was completely a mystery. It was also the most heartbreaking and emotional part in the novel (except when Quincey died… I actually cried).
Overall, Stoker did something right with Dracula. The format he wrote it in was perfect for the story. Being able to see the story from everyone’s views was difficult at first but it added to my understanding of the different characters and their interactions. It was almost like I was reading a real portfolio of diaries.
To address the end of the novel, (SPOILERS AHEAD) I absolutely loved it. Even though from the beginning I guessed that Dracula would be killed; in the end I had no clue how close it would be. The first time Jonathan took a stab at Dracula I was hooked. I read straight through. The chase to find Dracula and beat him to the castle was incredible. I did however find it sort of hard to keep track of who was with who and where everyone was at a given time. When they started losing Mina because she was far along in her transformation, I couldn't stand it. I felt as though I was riding through the mountains along with them. Renfield and Quincey easily moved their way up my list of favorite characters for their heroism in this section. I never truly understood the point of having Renfield in there other than to give Dr. Seward more purpose, but he truly showed his purpose by helping them. I was also very sad when Quincey died, although he wasn't my favorite character, I liked him and I was foolishly hoping that no one would have to die (other than Dracula of course). I was so relieved that Mina was restored to herself again and was left unblemished. The ending of the novel was perfect!
Although I know that adding Dracula's point of view to the novel would completely change it and make the reader sympathize with the protagonists more, I sort of wish that I could hear his viewpoint. Of course he was a vampire but he was also centuries old, I think his view of the novel or even a journal they found about his past would give a great historical background to the novel. Maybe that could even be an opening? Who knows, either way it is obvious that history is written by the victor and it is no different here.
I very much enjoyed Dracula and would certainly recommend it to anyone who asked. My whole view of vampires and Dracula had been skewed by Hollywood and television but the raw horror story of Dracula peaked my interest. It is a great read and full of amazing themes and literary devices.